CHITA, Russia -- A Russian man who was tortured by police in 2009 has been awarded the equivalent of $12,500 in compensation by a court in the eastern city of Chita, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

Last summer, three local policemen were found guilty of torturing Vitaly Rubtsov in 2009.

Investigators said in court that police took Rubtsov into the forest, handcuffed him, and put a gas mask over his face to deprive him of air in an effort to coerce him into confessing that he had stolen cars.

According to the court decision on May 5, the convicted policemen and the local government must each pay half of the compensation.